Geek Stuff category archive
Facebook Frolics 0
Old style frolics. From El Reg:
The antisocial network said it is in the process of informing those who were exposed, though so far there is no indication of the purloined details being used for fraud, it is claimed.
Geeking Out 0
A Christmas wallpaper.
Uber-Pinnings 0
On this week’s episode of Le Show, Harry Shearer interviews Hubert Horan, a long-time consultant in the transportation field, about Uber and Uber’s business model.
You can listen to the interview here. It is well worth your while.
Here’s an excerpt:
Shearer: The future that is sometimes sketched out by supporters of Uber is, “Well, but wait until driverless cars.”
(snip)
Horan: All the people who talk about driverless cars are people who watched the Jetsons too much when they were children.
Spoiler Alert.
No Place To Hide 0
The EFF has issued a report on how Big Data is all up in your business. Here’s a bit from the press release:
If you use the inner webs, you need to follow the link.
Make TWUUG Your LUG 0
Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source. Use computers to do what you want, not what someone else wants you to do. Learn how to use GNU/Linux and its plethora of free and open source software to get stuff done with computers.
It’s not hard; it’s just different.
When: Monthly TWUUG meeting at 7:30 p. m. on the first Thursday of the month (December 5, 2019). Pre-meeting dinner at Chicago Uno, JANAF shopping center, 6:00 p. m. (map)
Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.
Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk Training Room (map). (Wireless and wired internet connection available.) Turn right upon entering, then left at the last corridor and look for the open meeting room.
The Watchers 0
Zandar cautions against the spy on the shelf.
Geeking Out 0
Listening to The Silver Bullet by Fergus Hume on the QMMP media player using the “Memory of the Fall” skin on Ubuntu MATE with the Plasma desktop. The wallpaper is from my collection.
The Bully’s Pulpit 0
Sue Scheff reports that cyber-bullying is much more common than persons of good will might think and offers some hints for dealing with and avoiding it.
Geeking Out 0
Listening to The Clock Struck One by Fergus Hume on the QMMP media player on the Plasma Desktop on Ubuntu MATE 18.04 LTS.
Make TWUUG Your LUG 0
Learn about the wonderful world of free and open source. Use computers to do what you want, not what someone else wants you to do. Learn how to use GNU/Linux and its plethora of free and open source software to get stuff done with computers.
It’s not hard; it’s just different.
When: Monthly TWUUG meeting at 7:30 p. m. on the first Thursday of the month (November 7, 2019). Pre-meeting dinner at Chicago Uno, JANAF shopping center, 6:00 p. m. (map)
Who: Everyone in TideWater/Hampton Roads with interest in any/all flavors of Unix/Linux. There are no dues or signup requirements. All are welcome.
Where: Lake Taylor Transitional Care Hospital in Norfolk Training Room (map). (Wireless and wired internet connection available.) Turn right upon entering, then left at the last corridor and look for the open meeting room.
Facebook Frolics, Empty Words Dept. 0
The Oregonian reports on someone who couldn’t stick working for Facebook. Here’s a snippet; follow the link for the rest (emphasis added).
She didn’t last long — because she realized the social-media behemoth isn’t actually interested in elections integrity.
The Surveillance Society 0
David and his guest, Kade Crockford, Director of the ACLU’s Technology for Liberty program, discuss biometric surveillance, privacy, facial recognition technology, the interactions of these technologies with law enforcement, and much more.
A quibble:
Methinks the conversation focused too much on law enforcement and not enough on Big Data.
For example, I keep the GPS turned off on my Android unless I have a positive need for it. On the rare occasions when I do have it turned on, I get creepy messages from Google asking how I enjoyed my visit to such-and-such business.
I understand that they can track the general location of my phone via cell towers, and I can live with that, but it’s none of Google’s damn business where I ate lunch, for Pete’s sake.
Geeking Out 0
The Plasma desktop environment with the QMMP media player using a legacy Winamp skin playing The Mystery of 31 New Inn by R. Austin Freeman on Ubuntu MATE on a Zareason Mediabox. The GKrellM system monitor is in the lower right corner. Swisswatch provides the analog clock.
The Meme Chance 0
At Psychology Today Blogs, Ira Hyman muses on the attractions and dangers of internet memes, particularly those that combine a picture with some text. Among other thoughts, he suggests that they make falsehoods digestible.
Here’s an excerpt:
I’ve read a very nice statement about being stardust that was attributed to Einstein and placed with a picture of the physicist. But Einstein never made the statement. Or consider this Socrates meme. Again, a lovely quote attributed to a famous thinker. And there’s no evidence that Socrates ever said anything like that. These fake quotes attach one idea to a well-known person and give the quote more validity. Nonetheless, these memes remain out there and I’ve seen several similar fake quotes in my social media feed.
I commend the entire piece to your attention.